Dayenu for Protecting Israel’s Nature

My Passover seder plate from 2023, and my great-grandfather’s haggadah from 1923.

Every year, I celebrate Passover seder with my family and friends. We eat the symbolic foods together, remember the suffering of our ancestors, sing songs and drink four glasses of wine. We read from a Haggadah that’s been in my family for over a century—my great-grandfather Lou Lewis’ version. Its pages are worn and the stories the same, yet each year the words feel more resonant, offering new meaning and reminders for the year ahead.

This year, I had the opportunity to share how the prayer Dayenu echoes through my life far beyond the words of the Haggadah—it’s become a word I say regularly. After the seder, many people told me how I had shifted their perspective on Dayenu, and that they’d carry this new understanding with them long after Passover.Hearing that reminded me just how powerful a small shift in gratitude can be.

Dayenu literally means “it would have been enough.” During the seder, we recite all the miracles G-d performed for the Israelites when we were freed from Egypt—and after each one, we say dayenu. Because even if we only had one of those blessings, that still would have been enough. It’s a prayer of radical gratitude and appreciation.

I often think of the word dayenu in my day-to-day life. When I have a delicious meal, I say dayenu after each bite. When the breeze is just right or the sun hits a certain way, dayenu. And especially now, I say dayenu for you—for reading this. Whether you’ve supported us for years or are just now learning about our work, I’m deeply grateful you’re here.

I work with Nature Israel, the U.S. affiliate of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI)—known in Hebrew as החברה להגנת הטבע. Since 1953, SPNI has been Israel’s leading environmental nonprofit. You’ll find SPNI’s footprints all over the country: in restored wetlands, in hiking trails and school curricula, in marine protection policies, and in everyday life. It’s a household name in Israel, woven into the country’s nature movement since its earliest days.

When I reflect on Dayenu, I can’t help but think of the many accomplishments SPNI has helped bring to life, which so many of you have made possible through your support:

• Dayenu—that SPNI restored the Hula Valley wetlands, beginning in 1953 and culminating in a 1993 revival that brought life back to one of the world’s most critical bird migration sites.
• Dayenu—that SPNI saved Eilat’s coral reefs in 1955, banning coral picking and creating Israel’s first coastal marine nature reserve.

Wildflowers. Photo by Liron Shapira

• Dayenu—that SPNI defended Israel’s wildflowers in the 1960s through a landmark public campaign that changed a nation’s behavior and prevented extinction.
• Dayenu—that SPNI brought environmental education to Israel’s schools, with programs adopted by the Ministry of Education in 1970 and incorporated into public schools, teaching the next generation to protect nature.

• Dayenu—that SPNI developed the Israel National Trail in 1995, a 620-mile epic trail that stretches across the country, along with a 6,000+ mile network of hiking trails, used by millions of Israelis and visitors.
  

  Nature Heals Resilience Journey participants. Photo by Shaked Gorbatt.
• Dayenu—that SPNI launched the Nature Heals program after October 7th, offering therapeutic healing in nature to those coping with trauma and displacement.
• Dayenu—that SPNI’s scientists, educators, and activists continue to protect Israel’s nature today—even in the midst of war.

It’s so easy—so human—to focus on what’s still broken. When you care about the environment, it’s hard not to feel discouraged by all the damage, the urgency, and the stories of loss. To sit with the suffering and the questions, and to feel overwhelmed by the work we are not required to finish but also neither permitted to desist from. I’m not asking you to ignore this pain, but I encourage you to hold it alongside gratitude. Not because the work is done, but because even in the smallest slivers of light, we can find blessings.

I invite you to shift your heart, even just a little, toward what has been given. To recognize the impact of each accomplishment, each protected and restored piece of nature. To take a breath and appreciate these moments of progress. It doesn’t mean we stop working, but gratitude helps us stay hopeful, stay motivated, and stay optimistic.

If you’re already part of this journey—dayenu. And if you’re just learning about SPNI or Nature Israel for the first time—dayenu. Your interest, your curiosity, your care, each one is enough to continue something meaningful.

If you believe that every step of restoration, every moment of healing, every action taken to protect nature matters—I ask you to please make a gift today. Your contribution ensures this essential work continues, and that more light can grow from even the smallest sliver.

Chag sameach—and dayenu,

Jessica